the alpha omega has VERY low slots.....
It sounds like our dd's are somewhat similar (mine is 35 inches with a LONG torso)
and I'm telling you, dd can NOT fit into this seat at barely 2 years old.
She is too tall.

I'm afraid that if you go out and buy one of these seats for now, you will find yourself NEEDING another seat in a year or so......I don't know what your circumstances are, but unless you believe you will be able to afford another seat in another year or so, I have to really recommend you try to get a bigger, better seat now that will last you YEARS longer than one of the ones you are currently considering.
I've been through this the hard way, and let me tell you, it STINKS when you only get a years worth out of a seat that was supposed to last 3+ years, because your little weed of a child outgrows it.

I'm not trying to be a witch, I'm just trying to help you so that in a year, you're not on the board going "help! my 2 year old outgrew her carseat!!"

What seat is the child in now, and do you absolutely HAVE to get another carseat right now? (is the current seat outgrown?) If there is any way you can wait and scrape up just a little more money, it would REALLY be better in the long run....

As an example, the slots on the AOE are about 15.5 inches....on the intera, 16 inches. For a little bit more, you could get several seats that would last a LOT longer....the fisher price safe voyage is on sale for $150 right now, and has top slots of 17.5 inches and a harness weight of 55 pounds (as opposed to the 40 all your other choices have..it is a britax marathon shell, but without all the bells and whistles..) that is another 1.5 inches of torso height (which generally equals 4-6 inches in total height, or about 2 YEARS!) and another 15 pounds....this lasts most kids until 4+ years

and the Radian is $180 and has slots about 1.5-2 inches higher than that, and harnesses until 65 pounds....most kids can use this seat until 6+ years old

If waiting and/or getting mroe money is simply not an option..i understand! (We're currently trying to scrape up enough money for a radian ourselves...)

I just wanted to throw this out there....if I had known even a little bit of what i know now before i got the idiotic seat we got, I could have made such better decisions, and actually saved myself money in the long run by getting the bigger, better seats to begin with, instead of getting many crappy seats....

Actually, I'm really embarrassed to say this, she's still in her infant Graco seat, and is almost 3 lbs over the limit, not to mention about 4 inches too tall. Thankfully, we don't go anywhere. I absolutely have to have one, I can't chance it! Thanks for all the tips, I have a lot to review now lol

Everything I've read on the "carseat boards" suggests that the Scenara is a much better value for the money (especially in the US) than any of the 3 in 1 or 4 in 1 seats. Your child will likely outgrow the harness by height of those seats long before she is ready for a booster. You'll then need to buy another harnessed seat as a bridge to the booster anyway. And, by then, there might be much better boosters available so you might not even want to use the booster from the 3 in 1. The Scenara is inexpensive, has reasonably high harness slots, and is easy to install in most cars. I'd go with that for now, and then deal with the next step in seats when dd outgrows the Scenara.

It is the scenera in the second link, you don't want the overhead shield, those are not a good thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by christi2705

The Sencera-touriva is the one. Don't get a seat with the over-the-head shield...they aren't safe.

Ack! My dad has one in his car for Asher! (not that particular seat, but an evenflo one) The only place we go is to his house once a week, but now I'm scared to even leave on monday. Why aren't they safe? Do you have any links I can show him that explain why? I'm gonna have to talk him into buying another seat.

Safety experts have concerns about CRs with shields. Tray shields usually are not covered with energy-absorbing padding to protect the head if it hits the shield. This contact is more likely with a shorter child and a loose harness. In a test series with a 12-month-size dummy, peak head acceleration was 35% higher for tray shield restraints than for 5-point harnesses. At least one child (19 lb) is known to have received a fatal head injury from contact with a tray shield. For T-shields, there is a concern that the throat of a small child may be injured from contact with the top of the shield during a crash. In the same series of crash tests, neck forces were 40% higher for T-shields than for 5-point harnesses, and the crotch load with T-shields was 2.7 times higher than with 5-points.

I'd go with a Scenara for the OP; and a Scenara NO overhead shield for Tessa's mom's car. You ladies already covered all that.

Only to add, in the US test preformance is only how far the head travels forward in a head on sled test. So... when the dummy's head hits the shield it quits moving, therefore it passes. Scary uh! I don't think Tessa needs to not take her child to dad's on Monday, but do make sure the harness is SNUG and get a 5 pt harness seat as soon as $$ allow.